i  BP 


13 


INCIDENTS 

IN  THE  HISTORY  OF  THE 

THEOSOPHICAL  MOVEMENT 


Founded  in  New  York  City  in  1875  by  H.  P.  Blavatsky,  continued 

under  William  Q.  Judge,  and  now  under  the  direction 

of  their  successor,  Katherine  Tingley 


BY 

JOSEPH  H.  FUSSELL 

SEOIETARY  UNIVERSAL  BROTHERHOOD  AND  THEOSOPHICAL  SOCIETY 

Lecture  given  at  the  his  Theater.  San  Diego.  California,  under  the  auspices  of 
The  Aryan  Theosophical  Society 


PuUishedby 


The  Aryan  Theosophical  Press 

International  Headquarters,  Universal  Brotherhood  and  Theosophica]  Society 
POINT  LOM.A,  CALIFORNIA 


Price  15  Cents 


^6  vc 


1,0 


INTRODUCTION 

The  incidents  related  in  this  pamphlet  are  only  a  few  of  those  connected  with 
the  history  of  the  Theosophical  Movement;  only  the  fringe  of  the  subject  has 
been  touched;  yet  we  feel  they  will  serve  to  make  clear  something  of  the  real 
purpose  of  this  Movement,  and  of  the  basis  and  motives  underlying  the  many 
attacks  that  have  been  made  upon  it,  and  thus  remove  some  of  the  misconceptions 
that  have  arisen  in  the  minds  of  the  public.  In  the  limited  space  of  a  pamphlet 
many  matters  of  vital  interest  and  importance  must  perforce  be  omitted,  a  full 
account  of  which  will  be  given  later  by  Katherine  Tingley  in  her  book  The  Con- 
spiracy Against  the  Theosophical  Society  and  its  Leaders,  which  she  has  in  prepar- 
tion  and  which  will  contain  many  startling  revelations  of  the  persecution  which 
Theosophy  and  its  Leaders  have  endured  from  many  unsuspected  sources. 

Yet  even  herein  is  shown  the  truth  of  the  old  saying  that  a  lie  two  hours 
ahead  of  the  truth  is  hardly  to  be  overtaken.  Jesus  is  said  to  have  declared,  "  I 
came  not  to  bring  peace  upon  the  earth  but  a  sword,"  and  the  same  is  true  in 
degree  of  every  presentation  of  Truth  pure  and  undefiled;  yet  his  mission  was 
peace,  good  will  to  men ;  and  so  too  the  mission  of  Theosophy  is  peace,  universal 
brotherhood. 

Every  new  effort  for  the  benefit  of  Humanity  has  its  enemies,  not  only 
among  those  who  are  wilfully  so,  because  they  feel  their  selfish  interests  are 
threatened,  and  who  take  a  positive  delight  in  circulating  false  stories,  but  also 
the  misinformed  and  the  ignorant.  For  these  latter,  there  is  indeed  hope  that 
with  knowledge,  with  the  spread  of  correct  information,  their  attitude  may  change 
to  one  of  tolerance,  if  not  of  acceptance.  But  where  in  the  scheme  of  evolution 
shall  we  place  the  former?  Then  too,  religious  prejudices,  resulting  usually 
from  heredity  and  education,  are  often  honest  and  even  though  resulting  in  per- 
secution can  be  met  in  the  open  field;  but  gossips  and  scandal-mongers,  and 
purveyors  of  anonymous  and  false  accusations  —  what  condemnation  is  too  strong 
for  such?  In  human  shape  they  may  truly  be,  but  partaking  of  human  nature, 
at  the  core  of  which  is  the  divine  spark?  Would  it  not  be  a  libel  on  humanity 
so  to  label  them?  And  how  much  better  are  those  who  know  of  and  permit 
these  things,  or  who  claim  an  inner  knowledge  of  the  truth,  and  to  have  clair- 
voyant powers  and  an  insight  into  human  nature?  Shall  they  escape  the  divine 
Justice  of  Karma? 

Theosophy  teaches  Brotherhood ;  Universal  Brotherhood  is  the  first  object 
of  the  Theosophical  Movement.  But  what  is  Brotherhood  ?  Is  it  Brotherhood 
to  close  one's  eyes  to  the  dangers  that  threaten  our  fellows?  Is  it  Brotherhood 
to  permit  a  degenerate  or  moral  leper  to  enter  th«  sanctity  of  your  home,  to 
associate  freely  with  your  innocent  children  ani  to' exercise  unrestrained  his 
evil  influence  over  them  and  possibly  to  ruin  them?  Is  it  Brotherhood  to  permit 
one  suffering  from  a  contagious  loathsome  disease  to  sit  down  and  drink  out 
of  the  same  cup  with  you,  and  to  mingle  with  the  members  of  your  family? 
No,  true  Brotherhood  is  not  mawkish  and  foolish  sentimentality.  Brotherhood, 
from  a  Theosophical  standpoint,  which  is  consistent  with  the  highest  common 
sense,   means   and   includes  justice,   it  means   brotherhood   and   justice   to  the 


331315 


2  HISTORICAL  INCIDENTS  OF 

children,  the  innocent,  the  weak  and  the  ignorant.  It  means  responsibihty  on 
the  part  of  those  who  know  for  those  who  do  not  know.  A  true  brother  is  not 
afraid  to  remind  another  of  his  mistakes  for  fear  of  arousing  harsh  feeHng, 
but  warns  both  him  and  others  lest  he  do  harm. 

In  the  grand  scheme  of  evolution  we  are  all  here  for  a  purpose,  and  to 
accomplish  that  purpose  requires  that  we  cultivate  only  that  part  of  our  nature 
that  will  endure,  the  immortal,  divine  part ;  it  requires  that  we  follow  only  those 
things  that  purify  and  uplift,  that  make  us  better  men  and  women,  better  home 
makers  in  the  most  sacred  sense,  better  citizens. 

Katherine  Tingley  teaches  that  any  one  who  professes  to  work  for  Theosophy 
or  defend  the  Theosophical  teachings  and  movement,  who  attempts  to  convey 
to  others  the  idea  that  he  is  cultivating  spiritual  powers  or  living  the  spiritual 
life,  but  who  neglects  his  sacred  obligations  to  his  family  or  any  of  his  duties, 
is  wilfully  and  wofuUy  going  contrary  to  the  teachings  of  Theosophy.  Katherine 
Tingley  declares  that  it  will  require  the  most  strenuous  efforts  during  this  and 
the  next  generation  to  undo  fully  the  evils  resulting  from  the  promulgation  of 
counterfeit  Theosophy. 

We  as  students  of  Theosophy,  the  Divine  Wisdom,  believe  in  the  widest 
tolerance,  but  we  have  a  duty  to  perform  and  as  H.  P.  Blavatsky  has  said, 
"  The  duty  of  a  Theosophist  is  to  do  his  duty  by  every  duty,"  to  protest  against 
evil  in  every  form  and  wherever  found,  and  not  merely  to  protest,  but  to  pro- 
test along  corrective  lines.  Surely  this  must  have  been  in  the  mind  of  Jesus, 
when  he  drove  the  money  changers  out  of  the  Temple.  Is  the  Galilean  teacher 
to  be  blamed  for  rebuking  and  refusing  to  be  a  party  to  those  who  would  impose 
upon  the  people  with  their  pretense  to  possess  the  divine  wisdom?  Yet  I  doubt 
not,  in  his  day  were  to  be  found  those  who  exclaimed,  how  unbrotherly !  And 
none  the  less  important  is  the  duty  of  Theosophists  to  protect  the  temple  of 
Truth  and  protest  against  anything  that  may  lead  away  from  the  clean  honorable 
path  in  life. 

There  are  many,  very  many,  in  the  world  today  who  seek  to  have  their  con- 
science lulled  to  sleep,  to  be  cajoled  into  the  belief  that  both  God  and  Mam- 
mon can  be  served  at  the  same  time,  that  there  is  still  a  way  in  which  they  can 
gratify  the  demands  of  their  lower  nature  and  yet  keep  up  the  pretense  at  least 
of  being  students  of  the  higher  wisdom.  But  it  is  deeds,  not  words,  that  the 
world  needs  with  its  poor  suffering  humanity.  Not  the  prophesying  of  smooth 
things,  the  speaking  of  comfortable  words,  the  prophesying  of  deceits  —  but  the 
plain  and  simple  truth,  the  protest  against  evil,  the  helpful  words  that  encourage 
and  inspire  to  a  renewed  effort. 

And  therefore  it  is  that  these  Incidents  are  related.  Studi^nt 


From  the;  San  Diego  "  Union,"  Aprii.  5,  1910 

J.  H.  FussEivL  lectured  at  the  Isis  Theater  on  Sunday  night  under  the  auspices 
of  the  Aryan  Theosophical  Society,  giving  "  Some  Incidents  in  the  History  of 
the  Theosophical  Movement."  Mr.  Fussell  lectured  for  an  hour  and  thirty  min- 
utes, but  so  intensely  interesting  were  the  incidents  he  related,  many  of  them 
dramatic  in  their  situations,  that  he  held  his  large  audience  from  start  to  finish. 

He  spoke  of  the  conditions  existing  in  the  world  when  Madame  H.  P.  Blavat- 
sky first  came  in  1875  to  New  York  to  found  there  the  Theosophical  Society; 
the  message  she  had  to  materialists,  spiritualists,  church-goers,  scientists,  and 
of  the  friends  and  the  enemies  she  made  out  of  these  bodies.    Of  especial  interest 


THE  THEOSOPHICAL  MOVEMENT  3 

were  several  statements  written  by  Madame  Blavatsky  to  and  of  her  faithful 
colleague  and  successor,  William  Q.  Judge,--  and  particularly  a  sketch  of  the 
history  of  the  esoteric  section,  which  Mr.  Fussell  gave  by  permission  of  Mrs. 
Tingley,  who  is  the  present  Head  of  the  reorganized  Theosophical  body.  The 
interest  of  the  audience  was  marked  when  the  lecturer  read  the  pledge  or  obliga- 
tion which  is  exacted  of  all  members  of  this  inner  body. 

A  description  of  many  of  the  attacks  upon  the  Theosophical  Society  and  its 
Leaders  and  of  the  growth  and  progress  of  the  Society  was  full  of  interesting 
historical  information. 

In  introducing  his  subject  Mr.  Fussell  said : 

"  This  that  I  am  going  to  read  to  you  tonight  was  being  prepared  as  a  pam- 
phlet for  the  information  of  our  new  members  and  inquirers  as  a  brief  account 
of  certain  facts  of  the  true  history  of  the  Theosophical  Movement.  At  the 
request,  however,  of  a  citizen  of  San  Diego  who  is  conversant  with  some  of 
the  facts  herein  told  and  who  suggested  that  on  account  of  San  Diego's  having 
been  the  theater  of  so  many  incidents  connected  with  the  Theosophical  Move- 
ment, such  as,  for  instance,  the  libel  suit  against  General  Otis  and  the  Los  Angeles 
Times,  and  many  other  attacks  against  Katherine  Tingley  and  the  Theosophical 
Society,  our  friends  who  attend  our  Sunday  evening  meetings  at  Isis  Theater 
would  be  interested  in  these  facts,  I  have  selected  a  certain  portion  of  the  pam- 
phlet to  read  to  you  this  evening. 

"And  in  writing  this  it  has  been  my  endeavor  to  present  the  facts  so  clearly 
and  faithfully  that  those  earnestly  seeking  the  truth  may  know  where  to  look 
for  it,  and  not  be  misled  by  any  who  misuse  the  name  of  Theosophy." 


INCIDENTS    IN    THE    HISTORY    OF    THE 
THEOSOPHICAL    MOVEMENT 

NO  one  familiar  with  the  world  of  thought  as  it  is  today,  and  able  to  look 
back  thirty,  forty,  or  more  years,  but  is  amazed  at  the  enormous  changes 
that  have  taken  place.  The  younger  generation  of  today  can  have  little 
conception  of  the  condition  of  things  that  confronted  their  forefathers  or  the 
opening  into  new  realms  of  thought  and  research  and  invention  that  have  changed 
the  whole  face  of  the  world,  and  are  so  common  today. 

On  thinking  of  Madame  Blavatsky  and  how  to  present  to  you  a  picture  of 
her  work  there  comes  to  my  mind  as  an  illustration  a  great  scientist,  far  ahead 
of  his  time,  making  a  great  discovery  —  something  that  would  benefit  all  his 
fellow-men  —  which,  if  it  could  be  applied,  would  remove  the  sorrow  and  heartache 
of  the  world,  and  lift  the  burdens  from  the  sad  and  weary.  Moved  by  the  know- 
ledge of  this  great  discovery  would  he  not  seek  every  means  to  bring  it  to  the 
attention  of  the  public?  So  it  was  with  Madame  Blavatsky  and  her  discovery 
of  the  truths  of  Theosophy,  Energized  by  these,  and  by  her  great  love  for 
humanity,  she  sought  to  give  some  of  her  knowledge  to  the  world,  so  that  a  new 
order  of  things  might  come  to  be. 

From  her  writings,  and  from  the  testimony  of  those  who  knew  her,  the  evi- 
dences are  plain  to  every  one  who  will  choose  to  look,  that  she  had  not  only  a 
great  store  of  knowledge,  but  a  great  insight  into  the  needs  of  the  world.  Her 
keen  powers  of  perception  are  acknowledged  even  by  her  worst  enemies,  and  those 
who  have  some  appreciation  of  her  motives  and  efforts  can  value  to  some  degree 
the  vast  extent  of  her  knowledge. 

H.  P.  Blavatsky's  message;  to  Materialists,  Spirituai^ists, 
Church-goers,  and  Scientists  —  Friends  and  Enemies. 

At  the  time  she  came  to  America  with  the  purpose  of  forming  the  Theo- 
sophical  Society,  materialism  was  at  its  strongest,  and  in  its  ranks  she  saw  a 
tremendous  power.  Many  of  the  followers  of  materialism  showed  an  honesty 
and  sincerity  of  purpose  that  in  many  believers  in  things  spiritual  were  sadly 
missing.  Most  of  the  materialists  had  come  out  of  the  Churches,  unable  to  accept 
the  teachings  on  faith,  and  finding  little  in  the  actual  practice  of  Christianity  that 
would  warrant  accepting  the  lives  of  its  adherents  as  proof  of  the  truth  of  their 
beliefs.  As  an  example  of  one  of  these  honest  doubters,  but  a  man  who  according 
to  his  knowledge  sought  to  uplift  his  fellows,  we  may  mention  Robert  Ingersoll, 
and  while  we  cannot  agree  with  his  position  in  every  particular,  yet  it  must  be 
conceded  that  he  was  a  man  who  had  the  courage  of  his  convictions,  even  though 
by  following  them  he  should  cut  himself  off  from  all  hopes  of  a  future  life;  and 
there  were  many  like  him,  and  others  giving  up  their  hopes  and  sinking  down  into 
despair  because  they  had  found  nothing  in  their  association  with  the  Churches 
that  would  develop  the  spiritual  side  of  their  natures,  and  not  knowing  where  to 
turn,  going  to  the  other  extreme,  ignoring  the  soul  —  that  which  directs  man's 
life  —  and  seeking  to  depend  entirely  upon  the  reasoning  of  the  brain  mind  as 
the  only  way  whereby  man  might  learn  the  truth. 


THE  THEOSOPHICAL  MOVEMENT  S 

Those  who  have  studied  Theosophy  know  that  Madame  Blavatsky  came  with 
a  great  message  for  all  of  these,  and  in  spite  of  her  criticism  of  the  materialistic 
standpoint,  she  recognized  in  the  sincere  followers  of  that  system  an  earnestness 
and  a  desire  for  better  thing  that  called  out  her  warmest  sympathy  and  her  strong- 
est efforts  to  open  their  eyes  to  the  deeper  truths  of  the  inner  world  that  lies 
behind  and  beneath  the  material. 

However,  she  realized  that  her  time  was  limited.  She  had  so  much  to  give 
out,  it  was  her  mission  to  touch  not  simply  one  phase  of  the  thought  of  the  world, 
but  to  strike  a  chord  that  should  find  an  echo  in  the  hearts  of  all.  To  throw  her 
whole  efforts  in  one  direction  would  have  been  to  defeat  her  great  mission  of 
presenting  the  all-comprehending  truths  of  Theosophy  which  are  for  all  classes  — 
all  phases  of  thought. 

Turning  now  to  what  in  a  sense  is  the  opposite  extreme  from  materialism, 
there  are  and  were  in  the  spiritualist  ranks  hundreds  of  honest  men  and  women, 
many  of  whom  had  also  drifted  away  from  the  churches  because  their  teachings 
could  not  satisfy  them,  and  had  chosen  another  path.  Madame  Blavatsky  had  a 
message  for  these  also,  and  just  as  in  the  case  of  the  followers  of  materialism 
she  sought  to  quicken  them  to  recognize  the  truths  of  the  inner  spiritual  world, 
so  in  the  case  of  the  spiritualists  she  called  attention  to  the  same  spiritual  world, 
and  warned  them  that  that  which  they  were  investigating  was  but  another  world 
of  finer  matter  just  beyond  the  confines  of  this,  and  that  the  soul  when  it  leaves 
the  body  does  not  return  until  the  time  comes  for  its  next  rebirth  into  earth-life, 
when  it  takes  up  a  new  body.  It  has  been  held  by  some  that  because  Madame 
Blavatsky  investigated  Spiritualism  that  therefore  she  indorsed  it;  but  such  is 
very  far  from  the  truth,  as  every  student  of  her  writings  knows.  In  Theosophy 
is  to  be  found  an  explanation  of  the  phenomena  of  Spiritualism,  and  once  that 
explanation  is  understood  no  one  who  is  seeking  the  path  of  true  spiritual  enlight- 
enment will  continue  to  investigate  along  such  lines.  There  are  many  earnest  and 
honest  characters  among  the  followers  of  Spiritualism,  but  there  are  some,  of 
whom,  unfortunately,  this  cannot  be  said.  It  was  part  of  the  mission  of  Madame 
Blavatsky  to  point  out  the  dangers  that  there  are  in  following  this  line  of  research, 
and  that  true  spiritual  knowledge  does  not  lie  in  this  direction. 

We  have  said  that  both  in  the  ranks  of  materialism  and  spiritualism  there  were 
many  seeking  the  truth,  and  naturally,  as  the  world  is  today,  there  were  also  many 
seeking  prominence,  desiring  leadership,  aggressive  against  anything  that  might 
be  contrary  to  their  preconceived  ideas.  Hence  it  is  that  out  of  the  ranks  of 
these  two  movements,  Madame  Blavatsky  found  many  antagonists  ;  but  also  many 
friends ;  some  who,  leaving  materialism  or  spiritualism  behind,  found  in  Theoso- 
phy that  which  they  had  vainly  sought  along  one  or  other  of  these  two  opposing 
lines  of  thought. 

Then,  too,  Madame  Blavatsky  had  a  message  to  the  great  body  of  church- 
goers which  in  a  sense  lies  between  the  extremes  of  materialism  and  spiritualism, 
and  so  many  of  whom  are  kept  in  apathy,  content  merely  with  sophistry,  that 
by  their  belief  and  by  following  certain  prescribed  forms  their  souls  will  be  saved. 
Not  so,  however,  with  all ;  many,  while  still  remaining  within  the  fold  were  search- 
ing eagerly  for  the  truth,  and  they  gladly  welcomed  Theosophy,  which  revealed 
to  them  the  real  meaning  of  the  nature  and  mission  of  Jesus  upon  earth. 


6  HISTORICAL  INCIDENTS  OF 

But  out  of  the  ranks  of  church-goers  have  also  arisen  many  of  the  bitterest 
antagonists  that  Theosophy,  and  especially  its  Leaders,  Madame  Blavatsky  and 
her  successors,  have  met  with.  I  shall  have  something  to  say  of  these  later.  We 
do  know,  however,  that  intolerance  exists  even  at  the  beginning  of  this  Twentieth 
Century  as  it  existed  thirty-five  years  ago  when  Madame  Blavatsky  first  came 
to  this  country.  It  is  as  though  the  persecutors  of  the  truth  were  alarmed  lest 
it  should  prevail  and  cause  them  to  lose  their  privileges  and  fancied  rights. 
What  a  picture  of  the  condition  of  slavery  to  error  that  there  should  be  this 
antagonism  against  a  messenger  of  truth! 

Another  class  we  must  refer  to,  for  out  of  it  too  both  friends  and  enemies 
have  arisen.  I  speak  of  the  great  body  of  Scientists,  which  includes  some  of  the 
greatest  lovers  of  truth,  willing  to  sacrifice  anything  in  its  search,  yet  dogmatic, 
jealous  of  anything  that  arises  from  outside  their  ranks  or  threatens  to  overturn 
one  of  their  pet  theories.  Every  year  however  is  revealing  more  of  the  light  that 
Theosophy  has  shed  upon  this  world  of  science ;  every  year  new  corroborations 
are  being  made  of  the  truth  of  Madame  Blavatsky's  statements.  Every  year  the 
wisdom  of  the  ancients  is  receiving  fresh  vindication  and  modern  science  is 
approximating  more  and  more  to  the  knowledge  of  forgotten  times. 

This  was  the  condition  of  things  in  which  Madame  Blavatsky  found  herself 
during  the  first  years  of  the  Theosophical  Society.  The  pressure  of  antagonism 
was  heavy  against  her  everywhere,  and  not  only  were  individual  representatives, 
and  in  a  sense  the  bodies  as  a  whole  (materialistic  and  spiritualistic  and  church 
bodies)  doing  their  utmost  to  silence  her  message,  but  the  newspapers  (doubtless 
in  part  because  of  their  readers  and  in  part  because  of  the  views  of  their  editors 
—  for  only  a  few  are  truly  independent  of  influences  from  these  quarters)  did 
their  share  in  the  unbrotherly  work,  and  by  attempted  satire  and  ridicule  sought 
to  drive  Madame  Blavatsky  from  the  field. 

The  casual  reader  knows  nothing  of  the  almost  overwhelming  effort  that  was 
made  against  her  from  all  quarters  as  if  by  concerted  action.  The  psychological 
influence  of  this  wave  of  persecution  spread  far  and  wide ;  yet  Madame  Blavatsky 
never  faltered,  never  stopped  pouring  forth  her  volleys  of  truth  —  her  shot  and 
shell  from  the  arsenal  of  the  ancient  wisdom. 

H.  P.  Blavatsky's  work  in  India.    Temporary  Headquarters  at  Adyar. 
Coulomb  plot  exposed.     Psychical  Research  Society's  Report 

BASED  on  statements  OE  SELE-CONFESSED  EORGERS  AND  PERJURERS. 

After  Madame  Blavatsky  had  formed  the  Society  which,  as  said,  attracted 
many  from  different  ranks  of  thought,  she  went  to  India  and  there  created  wide- 
spread interest  among  the  most  progressive  minds,  both  English  and  native ;  and 
here  again  she  found  both  friends  and  antagonists.  The  light  from  her  torch 
was  too  brilliant  and  the  power  of  her  work  too  great  for  the  missionaries.  It 
threatened  their  influence,  their  very  livelihood,  and  so  (probably  under  the  advice 
of  colleagues  in  America  and  Europe)  they  busied  themselves  in  decrying  her 
and  in  seeking  to  make  her  appear  as  a  charlatan  and  a  fraud. 

This  was  in  1884.  Madame  Blavatsky  had  established  her  temporary  Head- 
quarters at  Adyar,  Madras  (India) —which  were  p^id  for  and  built  up  very 
largely  by  American  money,  many  of  the  donors  and  subscribers  to  the  estab- 


THE  THEOSOPHICAL  MOVEMENT  7 

lishment  of  these  Headquarters  for  India  being  American  members  who  later 
supported  William  Q.  Judge  against  the  attacks  made  upon  him  by  Mrs.  Besant, 
Col.  Olcott,  and  their  associates,  and  who  at  that  time  took  no  pains  to  hold  or 
make  any  claim  upon  the  temporary  Indian  Headquarters  which  they  had  so 
largely  helped  to  build  up,  but  which  are  not  now  regarded  by  the  true  followers 
of  H.  P.  Blavatsky  and  W.  Q.  Judge  as  a  center  of  any  importance  for  the  true 
advancement  of  Theosophy  in  the  real  sense  of  the  word. 

When  Madame  Blavatsky  left  India  she  established  her  Headquarters  at 
London,  where  she  remained  until  her  death. 

The  greatest  scandal  that  was  ever  associated  with  the  name  of  Madame 
Blavatsky  came  from  the  efforts  of  two  poor  homeless  and  destitute  French  people 
—  M.  Coulomb  and  his  wife.  Appealing  to  Madame  Blavatsky  in  Bombay  for 
food  and  shelter,  she  not  only  supplied  their  immediate  necessities,  but  gave  them 
employment  in  the  Indian  Theosophical  Headquarters  as  caretakers,  only  to  be 
met  very  soon  by  base  ingratitude  and  scheming  on  the  part  of  these  two 
adventurers. 

Madame  Blavatsky,  leaving  the  Headquarters,  to  return  to  Europe,  this  man 
and  his  wife  were  placed  in  charge  of  the  building  in  her  absence.  It  is  not 
necessary  here  to  tell  the  whole  story  —  how  the  man,  a  clever  carpenter,  cut  a 
hole  in  the  wall  between  two  rooms,  made  sliding  doors  and  panels  with  the 
attempt  to  show  that  Madame  Blavatsky  had  used  trickery  to  impose  upon  the 
public.  That  this  was  a  plot,  pure  and  simple,  does  not  require  further  explana- 
tion than  to  state  the  following  facts :  a  short  time  previously,  the  woman,  Mme. 
Coulomb,  had  been  discovered  in  the  attempt  to  extort  money  from  some  members 
of  the  Theosophical  Society.  In  one  instance  she  succeeded  in  this,  but  on  this 
being  put  a  stop  to  by  Madame  Blavatsky,  Mme.  Coulomb,  in  the  hearing  of 
reliable  witnesses,  swore  that  she  would  have  revenge. 

It  was  afterwards  learned  and  published  in  the  Madras  Daily  Mail  that  the 
missionaries  of  the  Madras  Christian  College  had  offered  to  pay  Mme.  Coulomb 
a  thousand  rupees  to  procure  certain  letters  of  Madame  Blavatsky.  Both  M.  and 
Mme.  Coulomb  later,  when  their  actions  were  exposed,  confessed  to  this  plot; 
the  letters  which  Mme.  Coulomb  turned  over  to  the  missionaries  were  proved  to 
be  forgeries ;  the  sliding  doors  and  panels  made  by  M.  Coulomb  were  such  that 
they  would  not  work  except  imder  the  heavy  blows  of  a  mallet ;  and  the  false 
,  testimony  of  these  two  people  was  met  and  refuted  by  a  large  number  of  reliable 
and  responsible  witnesses. 

This  was  the  state  of  things  when  a  young  and  beardless  youth,  just  out  of 
college,  arrived  upon  the  scene  as  the  agent  of  a  society  then  recently  founded 
in  England,  which  was  anxious  to  make  some  investigations  that  would  attach 
importance  to  its  proceedings.  This  young  man  was  Mr.  Richard  Hodgson,  agent 
of  the  Psychical  Research  Society.  He  arrived  at  the  Indian  Headquarters  a 
few  days  after  William  Q.  Judge,  the  latter  having  been  sent  by  Madame  Blavat- 
sky as  her  agent  to  investigate  the  plot. 

When  Mr.  Hodgson  arrived  the  hole  in  the  wall  had  been  closed  up,  the  sliding 
doors  and  panels  removed,  and  there  was  no  trace  of  them  whatever  left  for 
him  to  see ;  yet  he  gives  a  drawing  of  these,  which  in  his  report,  afterwards 
adopted  by  the  Psychical  Research  Society  and  published  in  its  proceedings,  he 


8  HISTORICAL  INCIDENTS  OF 

claims  to  have  made  "  from  measurements  of  my  own."  This  sketch,  however, 
is  a  dupHcation  of  one  made  by  William  Q.  Judge  and  pirated  by  this  young  man. 
This  is  the  ground-work  upon  which  the  Psychical  Research  Society  based  its 
calumnious  report  on  the  character  and  work  of  Madame  Blavatsky.  It  is  not 
difficult  to  see  how  the  intolerant  appetite  of  persecuting  enemies  was  fed  by 
these  false  statements  or  that  the  sensational  papers  all  over  the  world  published 
the  alleged  expose  of  the  Theosophical  Society.  But  so  far  as  I  know  there  were 
no  papers  in  this  country  interested  enough  to  seek  for  Madame  Blavatsky's 
answer  to  these  accusations  or  to  publish  what  her  friends  had  to  say  for  her 
vindication;  and  so  it  is  that  even  today  every  now  and  then  one  hears  an  echo 
of  this  Psychical  Research  Society  Report  (which  so  far  as  I  know  still  exists 
upon  their  books)  though  as  shown  again  and  again  it  is  absolutely  worthless, 
based  upon  the  false  statements  of  self-confessed  forgers  and  ingrates  and  upon 
the  word  of  a  young  man  who  does  not  scruple  to  claim  the  drawing  of  another 
as  his  own. 


Dr.  Elliot  Coues  attacks  W.  Q.  Judge.    His  lies  nailed.    Expelled 
FROM  Society.    New  York  "  Sun  "  publishes  libel  against 
H.  P.  Blavatsky  —  later  publishes  honorable  retraction 

I  have  already  spoken  of  the  general  attitude  of  the  scientists  and  out  of 
their  ranks  was  found  one  of  the  bitterest  enemies  of  the  Theosophical  Movement 
—  at  first  posing  as  a  friend  and  possibly  for  a  time  sincere  in  his  adherence 
to  the  Theosophical  teachings  —  a  man  of  intellect  and  ability,  but  with  the  lurk- 
ing seeds  of  ambition  in  his  nature  and  a  desire  to  lead. 

When  Madame  Blavatsky  left  this  country  for  India,  there  remained  in 
charge  of  the  work  William  Q.  Judge,  and  as  Madame  Blavatsky  herself  said 
when  writing  to  the  American  members  in  1888,  it  was  to  him  alone  that  was 
due  the  preservation  of  Theosophy  in  America. 

The  man  to  whom  I  now  wish  to  refer.  Dr.  Elliot  Coues  by  name,  was  a 
well-known  scientist  in  Washington,  D.  C.  Desirous  of  power  and  supreme 
authority  in  the  Theosophical  Society  in  the  United  States,  he  wrote  to  Madame 
Blavatsky,  first  suggesting  that  she  place  him  in  authority  and  depose  William 
Q.  Judge  from  his  position,  then  accusing  William  Q.  Judge  and  threatening 
that  unless  he  were  placed  in  authority  he  would  ruin  the  Society.  Any  one 
who  knows  Madame  Blavatsky  knows  that  she  was  never  to  be  swerved  from 
the  path  of  justice,  nor  to  be  moved  by  threat,  nor  would  she  desert  a  faithful 
pupil  and  colleague  such  as  William  Q.  Judge  ever  proved  himself  to  be;  and 
because  of  this  un-theosophical  attitude,  contrary  to  the  principles  of  Theosophy, 
on  the  part  of  Dr.  Coues,  she  summarily  expelled  him  from  the  ranks.  Seek- 
ing to  carry  out  his  threat,  and  destroy  the  Theosophical  Movement,  this  man 
gave  false,  libelous  information  to  the  New  York  Stin,  defaming  the  character 
of  Madame  Blavatsky.  This  was  published,  and  immediately  libel  proceedings 
were  commenced  by  William  Q.  Judge  on  behalf  of  Madame  Blavatsky,  against 
this  paper,  the  New  York  Sun.  While  the  libel  suit  was  still  pending,  not  hav- 
ing yet  come  to  trial,  Madame  Blavatsky  died,  which  technically  annulled  all 


THE  THEOSOPIIICAL  MOVEMENT  9 

proceedings,  leaving  the  paper  free,  and  Madame   Blavatsky's  memory  to  that 
extent  unvindicated. 

The  following  is  one  of  the  most  interesting  of  the  incidents  in  the  history 
of  the  Theosophical  Movement.  Shortly  after  Madame  Blavatsky's  death  the 
editor  of  the  New  York  Sun,  Mr.  Dana,  took  advantage  of  an  opportunity  that 
was  offered  him  of  learning  some  of  the  facts  regarding  Madame  Blavatsky  and 
her  character  and  work,  and  in  accordance  with  his  high  principles,  and  the 
high  standard  of  honor  for  which  he  was  always  noted,  voluntarily  published 
the  following  editorial  in  the  New  York  Sun  of  September  26th,  1892 :  — 

We  print  on  another  page  an  article  in  which  Mr.  William  Q.  Judge  deals  with 
the  romantic  and  extraordinary  career  of  the  late  Madame  Helena  P.  Blavatsky, 
the  Theosophist.  We  take  occasion  to  observe  that  on  July  20th.  1890,  we  were 
misled  into  admitting  to  the  Sun's  columns  an  article  by  Dr.  E.  F.  Coues  of 
Washington,  in  which  allegations  were  made  against  Madame  Blavatsky's  charac- 
ter, and  also  against  her  followers,  which  appear  to  have  been  without  solid 
foundation.  Mr.  Judge's  article  disposes  of  all  questions  relating  to  Madame 
Blavatsky  as  presented  by  Dr.  Coues,  and  we  desire  to  say  that  his  allegations 
respecting  the  Theosophical  Society  and  Mr.  Judge  personally  are  not  sustained 
by  evidence  and  should  not  have  been  printed. 


As  before  with  other  attacks,  many  papers  had  published  references  to  Dr. 
Coues  and  the  bitter  attack  against  Madame  Blavatsky  in  the  New  York  Sun. 
but  I  do  not  know  that  any  published  the  Sun's  editorial  retraction,  or  even  made 
reference  to  it.  It  would  appear  that  they  had  interest  only  in  what  might 
tend  to  the  defamation  of  Madame  Blavatsky,  but  not  in  the  correction  of  the 
false  report  and  the  vindication  of  her  character,  and  so  it  was  that  the  adverse 
comments  that  were  made  generally  throughout  the  country,  to  some  extent  even 
now  still  remain  in  the  minds  of  those  who  may  read  them. 

Outside  of  Madame  Blavatsky's  students,  and  the  students  of  her  successors, 
William  Q.  Judge,  and  Katherine  Tingley  —  those  who  are  giving  their  energy 
and  time  to  the  furtherance  of  the  Theosophical  Cause  —  there  are  few  who  realize 
the  magnitude  of  Madame  Blavatsky's  work.  Her  writings  alone  are  colossal 
in  the  extent  of  mental  territory  they  cover,  and  the  marvelous  light  that  they 
shed  upon  the  great  problems  of  existence.  Her  Isis  Unveiled  called  forth  a 
storm  of  criticism,  for  as  she  said  in  the  preface  it  was  "  offered  to  such  as  are 
willing  to  accept  truth  wherever  it  may  be  found,  and  to  defend  it,  even  look- 
ing popular  prejudice  straight  in  the  face."  It  was  the  first  great  challenge  of 
Theosophy,  the  Ancient  Wisdom-Religion,  to  dogmatism,  both  of  science  and  theo- 
logy, and  a  challenge  to  sham  and  superstition  wherever  found.  The  greatest 
of  her  works  followed  some  years  later,  in  1888.  The  Secret  Doctrine,  a  work 
colossal  in  its  magnitude,  revealing  a  scheme  of  evolution  in  which  the  Dar- 
winian theory,  so  far  as  it  is  true,  is  but  a  chapter,  and  embracing  not  only  man. 
but  worlds  and  systems  of  worlds.  What  were  looked  upon  by  superficial  and 
prejudiced  people  when  these  books  were  first  published  as  so  many  vagaries  and 
wild  dreams,  are  yearly  receiving  corroboration  as  scientific  fact.  For  her  stud- 
ents she  wrote  The  Key  to  Theosophy,  and  for  those  who  sought  the  path  of  the 
inner  spiritual  life  she  wrote  The  Voice  of  the  Silence. 


10  HISTORICAL  INCIDENTS  OF 

H.  P.  Blavatsky  the  central  Figure  and  Teacher.  Aided  by 

W.  Q.  Judge,  who  alone  responds  to  inner  purpose  of 

Theosophicae  work. 

In  speaking  of  the  formation  of  the  Theosophical  Society  in  1875  it  must 
be  remembered  that  it  was  for  this  purpose  that  she  came  to  America ;  that  the 
plan  was  hers,  but  that  unfamiliar  with  conditions  in  Western  countries  she 
instructed  Col.  H.  S.  Olcott  and  William  Q.  Judge  to  attend  to  the  details  of 
its  organization ;  but  it  was  she,  Madame  Blavatsky  alone,  who  had  the  know- 
ledge which  was  to  be  the  basis  and  the  guide  of  the  present  Theosophical 
Movement,  and  this  she  had  not  only  from  her  studies  and  travels,  but  from 
her  Teacher  —  one  of  the  few  men  now  living  who  have  knowledge  of  the 
deeper  truths  of  life  —  the  wisdom  possessed  by  the  ancients,  not  recorded  in 
books,  or  handed  down  in  archives,  but  passed  from  one  to  another  down  the 
ages  by  word  of  mouth,  and  whose  representatives  today  stand  back  of  and 
are  sustainers  of  the  present  Theosophical  Movement,  as  represented  by  Katherine 
Tingley  and  the  Universal  Brotherhood  and  Theosophical  Society.  Col. 
Olcott,  whom  Madame  Blavatsky  met  shortly  before  she  formed  the  Theo- 
sophical Society  in  New  York,  had  up  to  that  time  known  nothing  at  all  about 
Theosophy.  While  we  have  every  reason  to  believe  that  he  was  sincere,  yet  we 
have  no  evidence  that  he  made  any  great  efifort  to  lead  the  Theosophic  life ; 
but  no  doubt  Madame  Blavatsky  saw  that  he  had  possibilities  of  faithfulness 
and  service,  and  so,  as  with  so  many  others,  she  gave  him  his  chance.  In  her 
modesty  and  unselfish  desire  to  bring  Theosophy  to  the  attention  of  all  people 
and  make  it  a  telling  power  in  the  world,  she  sounded  Col.  Olcott's  praises  so 
far  as  she  could,  and  he  was  named  President-Founder,  being  elected  to  the 
presidency  of  the  Society  for  the  first  year  of  its  existence.  It  should  be  men- 
tioned here  that  his  term  of  office  was  defined  as  for  one  year,  and  that  he  was 
never  legally  re-elected.  Please  remember  in  her  treatment  of  Col.  Olcott,  as  all 
her  students  know,  Madame  Blavatsky  showed  her  great  wisdom,  using  every 
means  to  call  out  the  higher  nature  of  the  man  and  give  him  the  opportunity 
to  develop  along  higher  lines,  which,  if  he  had  continued  to  avail  himself  of 
them  after  she  died,  would  have  made  his  name  one  of  the  most  respected  in  the 
history  of  the  Theosophical  Movement. 

As  for  William  Q.  Judge,  who  in  addition  to  his  splendid  business  qualities 
and  legal  ability  had  as  well  high  spiritual  attainments  —  he  was  the  closest  to 
her  of  all  her  students  and  colleagues,  and  received  from  her  some  of  the  price- 
less instructions  as  to  the  deeper  truths  of  life,  which  she  gave  to  no  other 
of  her  disciples.  He  was  a  proof  to  those  who  knew  him  that  in  this  life  he 
had  been  soulfully  imbued  with  the  high  purpose  of  serving  humanity.  Prob- 
ably one  great  incentive  in  his  life  in  this  direction  was  the  inborn  conscious- 
ness that  he  had  of  the  conditions  of  his  native  land  —  Church-ridden  Ireland. 
He  resided  in  Dublin  until  he  was  13  and  then  his  mother  having  died  he  came 
with  his  father  to  this  country.  In  New  York  he  studied  law,  and  was  success- 
ful in  its  practice.  Not  satisfied,  however,  with  the  ordinary  aims  of  life  he 
was  searching  for  its  deeper  meaning,  and  in  his  search,  Madame  Blavatsky 
hearing  of  him  sent  for  him.  This  was  in  1874,  and  from  then  until  her  death 
he  was  her  faithful  disciple  and  colleague  and  afterWfirds  became  her  successor. 


THE  THEOSOPHICAL  MOVEMENT  11 

At  the  beginning  of  the  Society  we  therefore  have  IMadame  Blavatsky  as  a 
central  figure,  with  her  two  helpers,  William  Q.  Judge  and  Col.  Olcott,  the  latter 
helping  in  outer  exoteric  lines,  in  matters  of  the  outer  business  of  the  organi- 
zation, and  the  former,  William  Q.  Judge,  working  in  the  outer  organization 
with  Col.  Olcott,  but  also  receiving  instructions  not  only  from  his  teacher  H.  P. 
Blavatsky  but  directly  from  the  same  source  from  which  she  received  her  know- 
ledge (and  this  we  have  in  writings  by  Madame  Blavatsky  herself),  and  working 
with  her  toward  the  upbuilding  of  the  spiritual  life  of  mankind.  Under  her 
direction  and  with  his  spiritual  insight,  which  was  recognized  among  the  few 
faithful  ones  who  were  near  him,  he  formulated  the  rules  of  the  Esoteric  School, 
which  at  his  request  Madame  Blavatsky  established  in  1888.  I  shall  speak  of 
this  later. 

Even  ordinary  students  of  human  nature  and  of  conditions  that  obtained 
when  Madame  Blavatsky  established  this  Society  can  see  that  with  the  excep- 
tion of  William  Q.  Judge,  none  of  those  who  started  with  her  in  this  work  were 
deeply  grounded  in  spiritual  truths,  or  in  soul  life,  and  as  was  later  proved 
there  was  at  that  time  William  Q.  Judge  alone  who  saw  the  real  purpose  of  her 
work,  and  responded  to  her  teachings.  Thus  there  was  a  danger  among  those 
who  became  associated  with  Madame  Blavatsky  that  ambition  would  grow.  We 
see  the  two  men  who  were  closest  to  her,  who  had  the  same  opportunity,  one 
moving  on  so  long  as  Madame  Blavatsky  was  there  to  direct  his  movements 
and  hold  him  in  check,  doing  much  excellent  work  for  the  Society,  but,  as  was 
clearly  shown  after  Madame  Blavatsky  had  passed  away,  permitting  the  seeds 
of  ambition  and  vanity  to  grow.  Later  he  forgot  the  obligations  he  was  under 
to  his  teacher,  and  sought  to  discredit  her  influence  in  the  spread  of  Theosophy 
in  order  that  he  might  fill  a  larger  place  in  its  history.  Looking  at  the  other 
man,  it  can  be  seen  that  every  act  of  William  Q.  Judge  showed  his  growth  into 
a  wider  consciousness  and  deeper  knowledge.  The  subordination  of  his  per- 
sonality, his  modesty  in  going  before  the  people,  never  taking  advantage  of  his 
position  to  exercise  an  influence  over  them,  all  were  indicative  of  the  man ;  and 
all  the  time  there  went  out  from  him  in  correspondence,  and  in  his  writings  as 
editor  of  his  magazine.  The  Path,  even  from  his  very  presence  —  a  spiritual 
uplifting  influence  which  has  been  a  source  of  help  to  many  faithful  students 
who  now  revere  his  memory,  and  seek  to  pattern  their  lives  after  his. 

So  little  aid  had  William  Q.  Judge  in  the  early  days  that  in  his  magazine, 
The  Path,  founded  and  edited  by  him,  often  all  the  articles  were  by  himself, 
written  over  diflferent  nomes  de  plume,  yet  so  versatile  was  he  that  none  could 
have  recognized  it.  Often  would  he  work  in  his  law  office  all  day  and  then 
write  all  night  for  his  magazine,  or  sometimes  paint  sketches  which  he  would 
sell  to  art  dealers  for  money  to  pay  the  printers  or  buy  postage  stamps  for  Theo- 
sophical  work.  And  then  his  correspondence  to  all  parts  of  the  world :  how 
many  would  apply  to  him  for  teaching,  for  a  solution  of  their  difficulties,  for 
advice,  and  his  words  were  as  healing  balm  on  many  a  throbbing  wound. 

This  was  the  man  whom  Dr.  Elliott  Coues  had  sought  to  vilify  and  displace. 

For  her  Society,  for  the  cause  of  Theosophy,  Madame  Blavatsky  counted  her 
own  life  as  nought;  she  sacrificed  herself  at  times  almost  recklessly.  Realizing 
the  limited  time  she  had  in  this  one  incarnation  and  the  awful  need  of  the  world, 


12  HISTORICAL  INCIDENTvS  OF 

the  spiritual  pride  and  darkness,  the  people  crying  for  a  light  to  guide  them  — 
she  worked  night  and  day,  writing,  writing,  writing,  that  the  message  of  Theo- 
sophy  surging  from  her  heart  and  illumining  her  mind  might  be  recorded  for  all 
future  generations. 

Suffering  intensely  from  overwork,  by  the  very  force  of  her  will  she  main- 
tained life  in  her  tired  body  until  she  had  sown  the  seed.  Yet  it  is  beyond  doubt 
that  this  last  attack  by  Dr.  Elliott  Coues  and  the  New  York  Sun  helped  to 
shorten  her  days.  It  caused  too  a  sifting  of  some  of  the  half-hearted  from  the 
ranks  of  the  Theosophical  Society.  At  every  attack  there  have  been  some  few 
who  have  drifted  away  —  the  fear  of  being  blamed,  of  identification  with  an 
unpopular  cause,  have  obscured  their  love  for  humanity,  and  like  soldiers  desert- 
ing at  the  first  shot  from  the  enemy,  they  fled  the  ranks ;  like  Peter  denying  his 
Master,  they  threw  mud  at  their  teacher.  It  was  about  this  time,  1888,  that  Mrs. 
Annie  Besant  sought  an  interview  with  II.  P.  Blavatsky.  She  showed  a  deep 
interest  in  Theosophy,  and  there  are  those  who  can  testify  that  she  realized  and 
admitted  the  errors  in  her  former  views  as  publicly  promulgated  by  her,  which 
in  many  ways  were  the  very  antithesis  of  Theosophy.  Remember,  that  at  that 
time  Mrs.  Besant  was  before  the  public,  not  popular,  it  is  true,  but  accustomed 
to  public  work  of  a  certain  nature,  and  Madame  Blavatsky  was  in  need  of  all  the 
help  she  could  obtain.  Thus  when  Mrs.  Besant  came  to  her  she  gave  her  an 
opportunity  to  reconstruct  her  life  and  become  a  worker  in  the  Theosophic  Cause. 

Formation  of  Esoteric  Section.    H.  P.  Blavatsky's  endorsement 
oE  W.  Q.  Judge.. 

It  was  announced  that  I  would  relate  some  incidents  in  the  history  of  the 
Theosophical  Movement  which  have  not  hitherto  been  made  public,  and  one  of 
these,  or  rather  a  series  of  them,  is  connected  with  the  history  of  what  among 
students  was  formerly  known  as  the  Esoteric  Section,  or  the  Esoteric  School  of 
Theosophy.  This  inner  body  of  students  was  re-organized  by  Katherine  Tingley 
in  1898,  at  the  same  time  the  Universal  Brotherhood  and  Theosophical 
Society  adopted  its  new  constitution  at  Chicago.  Now  I  have  permission  from 
Mrs.  Tingley  to  tell  you  something  of  its  history. 

In  1888,  the  same  year  in  which  The  Secret  Doctrine,  Madame  Blavatsky's 
greatest  work,  was  published,  William  Q.  Judge  from  New  York  wrote  to 
IMadame  Blavatsky  in  London  suggesting  the  formation  of  a  body  of  students, 
to  consist  of  those  who  were  earnestly  seeking  to  make  Theosophy  a  practical 
power  in  their  daily  lives,  and  for  the  aid  that  would  come  from  the  study  of 
its  deeper  teachings.  Many  people  have  wondered  what  was  the  great  power 
that  has  held  this  organization  together.  There  have  been  many  reasons  for 
its  growth  and  strength,  but  one  especially  has  been  this  body  of  students  just 
referred  to,  binding  them  together  for  the  furtherance  of  the  Theosophical  work. 

On  the  request  of  his  teacher,  Aladame  Blavatsky,  William  O.  Judge  drafted 
the  rules  of  that  body  under  which  it  is  still  governed.  In  this  body  of  students 
a  pledge  was  taken  which  I  have  Mrs.  Tingley's  permission  to  read  to  you,  but 
before  doing  so  it  will  no  doubt  be  of  interest  to  you  to  know  that  at  the  time 
of  Katherine  Tingley's  libel  suit  against  the  Los  Angeles  Times,  and  its  editor, 
General  Harrison  Gray  Otis,  the  position  taken  by  the  defendants  was  that  all 


THE  THEOSOPIIICAL  MOVEMENT  13 

students  of  Theosophy  were  bound  by  a  pledge  to  obey  Katherine  Tingley  in 
every  detail  of  their  lives.  As  to  how  far  they  are  pledged  you  will  presently 
see.  The  pledge  was  introduced  by  the  opposing  attorney,  and  was  probably 
obtained  from  the  hands  of  an  unfaithful  member.  As  Katherine  Tingley 
said  at  the  time,  nothing  could  have  served  her  case  better,  for  it  shows  plainly 
that  there  is  nothing  in  the  obligation  binding  students  to  obey  Katherine  Ting- 
ley personally  or  in  any  other  interest  of  their  lives  except  as  students  of  Theo- 
sophy —  she  the  Teacher,  they  the  students.  The  pledge  was  read  in  Court, 
and  it  was  very  amusing  to  notice  the  confusion  of  the  defendant's  attorneys 
when  they  realized  that  the  obligation  to  follow  the  Leader  and  Official  Head  — 
Mrs.  Katherine  Tingley  —  of  this  Organization,  was  in  respect  only  to  Theosophic 
duties,  and  contains  not  one  word  of  reference,  nor  does  it  include  any  hint,  as 
to  anything  outside  specific  work  for  the  Theosophical  Movement.  This  obliga- 
tion then,  is  as  follows : 


It  is  of  interest  to  note  that  Col.  Olcott  was  never  allowed  by  Madame  Blavat- 
sky  to  become  a  member  of  this  Esoteric  Section,  and  after  her  death,  when  no 
longer  under  her  inspiring  influence  and  restraint,  it  was  shown  in  his  corre- 
spondence and  in  other  ways  that  he  had  the  greatest  jealousy  not  only  of  this 
body,  but  also  of  Mr.  Judge  personally.  William  Q.  Judge  was  the  only  member 
in  the  Esoteric  body  of  whom  H.  P.  Blavatsky  required  no  pledge,  for  he,  as 
Madame  Blavatsky  herself  states,  had  given  his  pledge  to  her  ozam  Teacher  thir- 
teen years  previously,  namely  in  1875,  "^hich  was  the  year  of  the  foundation  of 
the  Theosophical  Society  in  New  York.  Mrs.  Annie  Besant,  who  did  not  join 
the  organization  until  thirteen  years  later,  1888,  became  a  pledged  member  of  this 
Esoteric  body,  and  zms  pledged  to  observe  the  rules. 

Now  as  to  William  Q.  Judge's  position  in  the  Theosophical  Movement.  We 
have  seen  how  when  he  was  attacked  by  Dr.  Elliott  Coues,  Madame  Blavatsky 
stood  by  and  defended  him.  Let  me  quote  from  an  official  letter  written  by 
Madame  Blavatsky  to  the  Convention  of  the  American  Societies  in  1888.  The 
letter  began  as  follows : 

To  William  Q.  Judge,  General  Secretray  of  the  American  Section  of  the 
Theosophical  Societ}': 

My  dearest  Brother  and  Co-founder  of  the  Theosophical  Society: 
In  addressing  to  you  this  letter,  which  I  request  you  to  read  to  the  Convention 
summoned  for  April  22d,  I  must  first  present  my  hearty  congratulations  and 
most  cordial  good  wishes  to  the  Society  and  to  yourself  —  the  heart  and  soul  of 
that  body  in  America.  We  were  several  to  call  it  to  life  in  1875.  Since  then 
you  have  remained  alone  to  preserve  that  life  through  good  and  evil  report.  It 
is  to  you  chiefly,  if  not  entirely,  that  the  Theosophical  Society  owes  its  existence 
in  1888.  Let  me  thank  you  for  it,  for  the  first,  and  perhaps  for  the  last  time 
publicly  and  from  the  bottom  of  my  heart,  which  beats  only  for  the  cause  you 
represent  so  well  and  serve  so  faithfully.  I  ask  you  also  to  remember  that,  on 
this  important  occasion,  my  voice  is  but  the  feeble  echo  of  other  more  sacred 
voices,  and  the  transmitter  of  the  approval  of  Those  whose  presence  is  alive 
in  more  than  one  true  Theosophical  heart,  and  lives,  as  I  know,  pre-eminently 
in  yours. 

Further,  H.  P.  Blavatsky,  in  December  of  the  same  year,  wrote  the  following 


14  HISTORICAL  INCIDENTS  OF 

As  Head  of  the  Esoteric  Section  of  the  Theosophical  Society,  I  hereby  declare 
that  William  Q.  Judge  of  New  York,  U.  S.  A.,  in  virtue  of  his  character  as  a 
disciple  of  thirteen  years  standing  and  of  the  trust  and  confidence  reposed  in  him, 
is  my  only  representative  for  said  Section  in  America,  and  he  is  the  sole  channel 
through  whom  will  be  sent  and  received  all  communications  between  the  mem- 
bers of  the  said  Section  and  myself,  and  to  him  full  faith,  confidence,  and 
credit  in  that  regard  are  to  be  given. 

And  as  if  in  prophetic  anticipation  of  the  outrageous  attack  later  made  upon 
him  by  Mrs.  Besant,  to  whom  Madame  Blavatsky  had  given  the  opportunity  to 
live  the  better  life,  and  the  bitter  onslaughts  of  ambition  against  his  position  so 
fatithfully  held  by  him,  H.  P.  Blavatsky,  on  October  23d,  1889,  wrote : 

The  Esoteric  Section  and  its  life  in  the  U.  S.  A.  depend  upon  W.  Q.  Judge 
remaining  its  agent  and  what  he  is  now.  The  day  W.  Q.  Judge  resigns,  H.  P. 
Blavatsky  will  be  virtually  dead  for  the  Americans. 

Furthermore,  Madame  Blavatsky  declared  in  writing  that  after  her  death 
W.  Q.  Judge  was  to  take  her  place  in  America,  and  no  other  construction  or 
meaning  can  be  placed  upon  these  statements  save  to  regard  them  as  being 
actually  meant  by  Madame  Blavatsky,  and  that  in  such  case,  should  William  Q. 
Judge  resign  it  would  mean  the  death  of  Theosophy  in  America.  The  application 
of  this  we  shall  refer  to  later. 

As  said,  Col.  H.  S.  Olcott,  the  first  President  of  the  Society,  never  was  a 
member  of  this  inner  body  of  students,  which,  as  we  know,  was  the  soul  and  life 
of  the  Theosophical  Society,  the  latter  being  but  the  outer  form  for  the  dissemin- 
ation of  exoteric  teachings  to  the  public ;  also  that  William  Q.  Judge  was  the  only 
member  who  was  not  required  to  take  a  pledge  therein ;  that  Mrs.  Annie  Besant 
was  a  pledged  member,  pledged  to  observe  the  rules ;  that  later,  Madame  Blavat- 
sky, to  encourage  her  in  her  work,  appointed  her  as  Recorder  of  the  teachings, 
but  never  gave  her  the  position  of  teacher,  but  of  secretary,  to  record  the  teachings 
which  Madame  Blavatsky  gave  to  her  students. 

H.  P.  Bi^avatsky's  death.     Society  reorganized.     Enormous  majority 
SUPPORTS  W.  Q.  Judge.    He  dies  shortly  after  vindication. 

After  H.  P.  Blavatsky's  death,  W.  Q.  Judge,  whose  position  as  teacher,  and 
successor  of  Madame  Blavatsky,  was  assured  by  the  latter's  written  statements, 
and  who  was  moreover  the  only  one  qualified  for  that  position  by  virtue  of  his 
knowledge,  his  service,  and  his  long  training  under  H.  P.  Blavatsky  and  her 
Teachers,  gave  to  Mrs.  Besant  the  greatest  opportunity  of  her  life  for  spiritual 
progress,  to  show  her  loyalty  to  her  teacher  H.  P.  Blavatsky,  and  her  devotion 
to  the  cause  of  Theosophy.  Doubtless  supposing  that  she  would  carry  out  her 
professions  in  act,  appealing  to  the  best  side  of  her  nature,  and  as  she  was  free 
to  give  her  time  and  energy  to  the  Theosophical  Cause,  he  gave  to  her  this  oppor- 
tunity to  help  in  carrying  out  the  plan  of  work  begun  by  H.  P.  Blavatsky.  It  must 
be  remembered  that  at  that  time  she  showed  no  sign  outwardly  of  the  ambition 
which  later  developed,  and  one  may  charitably  suppose  that  she  was  making  a 
sincere  effort  to  lead  a  Theosophic  life  that  she  might  better  help  humanity. 


THE  THEOSOPHICAL  MOVEMENT  IS 

For  a  time  after  Madame  Blavatsky's  death,  to  all  appearances,  Mrs.  Besant 
worked  faithfully.  Not  a  year  had  passed,  however,  before  the  first  prominent 
symptom  of  her  ambition  showed  itself  in  her  accusation  against  Col.  H.  S.  Olcott, 
whose  resignation  from  the  Presidency  (which  office  he  held  only  by  courtesy,  not 
legally)  she  demanded.  Under  this  unbrotherly  pressure  and  threats  of  Mrs. 
Besant,  Col.  Olcott  did  resign,  but  William  Q.  Judge,  using  all  his  influence,  per- 
suaded the  American  members  to  adopt  such  action  as  to  prevent  this  from 
taking  effect,  and  he  ultimately  withdrew  his  resignation.  Failing  in  her  efforts 
in  this  direction,  and  there  being  but  Col.  Olcott  and  William  Q.  Judge  between 
her  and  the  goal  of  her  ambition,  which  —  such  was  the  opinion  of  many  of  the 
faithful  students  of  Theosophy  —  was  to  govern  the  Theosophical  Society  through- 
out the  world,  and  much  to  the  surprise  of  some  of  her  fellow-workers  who  had 
heretofore  trusted  her,  Mrs.  Besant  began  subtle  attempts  to  undermine  the  in- 
fluence of  Mr.  Judge.  This  she  attempted  to  do  first  by  secret  correspondence  to 
all  parts  of  the  world,  in  direct  violation  of  her  solemn  and  sacred  pledge,  which 
was  "  I  pledge  myself  never  to  listen  without  protest  to  any  evil  thing  spoken  of 
a  Brother  Theosophist,  and  to  abstain  from  condemning  others,"  seeking  for  and 
listening  to  unproven,  unprovable,  and  utterly  false  statements  against  him. 

Her  charge  against  William  Q.  Judge  was  that  certain  statements  given  by 
him  as  coming  from  his  Teacher  in  India,  who,  as  said,  had  also  been  Madame 
Blavatsky's  Teacher,  were,  to  quote  her  own  words,  "  given  a  misleading  form." 
There  is  no  question  that  many  in  the  world  hearing  of  Mrs.  Besant's  accusations, 
came  to  think  that  he  had  committed  some  immoral,  dishonest,  and  criminal  act. 
Think  of  it!  The  absurdity  of  this  member  so  recently  come  into  the  work  — 
for  remember  she  did  not  enter  the  Theosophical  work  until  1888  —  who  had 
never  been  a  direct  pupil  of  Madame  Blavatsky's  Teacher,  but  only  of  Madame 
Blavatsky  herself  —  the  absurdity  of  her  presuming  to  stand  in  judgment  of  an 
advanced,  accepted,  and  faithful  worker  such  as  William  Q.  Judge !  Finally,  in 
1894,  she  openly  attacked  him,  as  well  as  the  honor  of  her  own  teacher,  H.  P. 
Blavatsky.  So  determined  was  she  to  carry  her  point  and  bring  her  plans  to 
fruition,  so  insidious  were  the  disintegrating  forces  set  in  motion  by  her,  and 
so  subversive  of  the  principles  on  which  were  founded  the  Theosophical  Movement, 
and  especially  the  inner  body  of  students,  of  which,  as  said,  Mrs.  Besant  was  a 
pledged  member,  pledged  to  observe  the  rules,  that  for  a  time  it  appeared  as  though 
the  harmony  of  the  Society  would  be  so  disturbed  that  it  would  take  a  long  time 
before  it  could  recover.  And  remember  too,  that  William  Q.  Judge  at  that  time 
was  ill  and  overworked. 

Moreover,  in  spite  of  Madame  Blavatsky's  statement  regarding  William  Q. 
Judge,  that  "  The  day  W.  Q.  Judge  resigns,  H.  P.  Blavatsky  will  be  virtually 
dead  for  the  Americans  " ;  Mrs.  Besant  used  every  means  to  force  him  to 
RESIGN ;  thus  again  setting  her  Teacher  at  naught,  at  the  same  trying  to  cajole 
him  with  a  promise  that  if  he  would  resign,  he  could  still  have  some  place  in  the 
Theosophical  Society. 

Is  it  not  plain  to  see  that  Mrs.  Besant  was  willing  to  sacrifice  the  whole  Theo- 
sophical Society  in  America?  for  she  took  a  position  directly  opposed  to  the 
emphatic  statement  of  her  own  Teacher,  Madame  Blavatsky. 


16  HISTORICAL  INCIDENTS  OF 

It  was  at  this  juncture  that  the  American  members,  headed  by  the  Aryan 
Theosophical  Society  of  New  York  and  the  Boston  Society,  determined  to  take 
action.  Finally  at  the  annual  Convention  of  the  American  Societies  at  Boston 
in  1895  by  a  vote  of  ipi  delegates  to  lo,  William  Q.  Judge  was  elected  President 
for  life  and  all  connexion  with  Mrs.  Besant  and  her  associates  was  severed  and 
repudiated.  This  vote  represented  a  majority  of  the  active  members  throughout 
the  zvorld,  and  this  majority  was  still  further  increased  by  similar  action  being 
taken  by  members  in  England,  Holland,  Sweden,  Germany,  Australia,  India, 
and  other  countries.  In  India  there  was  on  the  roll  an  apparently  large  number 
of  branches  of  the  Theosophical  Society  that  supported  Mrs.  Besant,  but  upon 
investigation  it  was  found  that  in  very  many  instances  these  branches  existed 
only  on  paper  or  had  but  one  or  two  active  members  in  good  standing.  This 
was  later  confirmed  by  Katherine  Tingley  when  she  visited  India  on  her  first 
Crusade  around  the  world  in  1896-7,  when  her  agents  made  careful  investi- 
gation. 

Thus  was  William  O.  Judge  vindicated,  but  he  lived  only  eleven  months  longer 
and  passed  away  March  21,  1896,  after  intense  suffering  due  in  the  main  to  the 
malicious  presecution  to  which  he  had  been  subjected. 

The  principal  agitator  against  William  Q.  Judge  in  this  country  and  chief 
promoter  of  this  repudiated  body,  at  the  head  of  which  is  Mrs.  Besant,  was 
Alexander  Fullerton,  whose  downward  path  evidently  began  at  about  that  time, 
and  which  at  last  has  caused  him  to  be  arrested  for  sending  immoral  matter 
through  the  mails  to  a  boy,  as  I  read  to  you  last  Sunday. 

As  Madame  Blavatsky  has  said,  "  Facts  are  pitchforks,"  but  they  must  be 
brought  out  if  we  are  to  protect  the  weak  and  the  innocent.  We  must  refer 
to  and  protest  against  such  things,  else  in  a  sense  we  become  a  party  to  them ; 
and  unpleasant  as  it  is,  if  we  have  the  knowledge  we  have  a  duty  to  see  that  the 
public  are  warned. 

The  wisdom  of  the  action  that  was  taken  at  the  1895  Convention  at  Boston 
has  been  amply  proved,  and  the  very  fact  that  from  time  to  time  false  state- 
ments are  made  by  those  who  feel  it  to  their  interest  to  mislead  the  public  to 
further  their  own  ends,  gives  a  further  source  of  congratulation  that  they  are 
not  in  any  way  identified  with  us,  to  the  end  that  the  real  Theosophical  work 
may  not  be  obstructed.  There  are  many  inquirers  seeking  the  right  path  all  the 
time,  and  new  members.  We  owe  them  a  duty,  and  besides,  we  must  have  a  true 
history  to  pass  down  to  the  succeeding  generations. 

It  is  a  well  known  fact  that  the  Universal  Brotherhood  and  Theoso- 
phical Society  does  not  issue  any  statement  as  to  the  number  of  its  branches  or 
members.  It  has  no  need  for  doing  so.  Its  influence  is  world-wide  and  is  felt 
in  every  country  of  the  globe.  The  great  bulk  of  the  membership  in  the  Organi- 
zation is  what  is  known  as  membership-at-large ;  and  such  members  are  directly 
attached  through  correspondence  and  association  with  our  International  Head- 
quarters at  Point  Loma. 


THE  THEOSOPHICAL  MOVEMENT  17 

Katherine  Tingley  successor  to  W.  Q.  Judge  and  H.  P.  Blavatsky. 
Enormous  increase  in  membership.    Katherine  Tingley's  insistence 

ON  THE  application  OE  ThEOSOPHY  TO  EVERYDAY  LIFE.      BiTTER  ATTACKS 
AGAINST  ThEOSOPHICAL   INSTITUTION    AT   PoiNT   LOMA.      KaTHERINE 

TiNGLEY  SUES  Los  Angeles  "  Times  "  for  libel.    Dastardly 

ANONYMOUS    ATTACKS    AGAINST    KaTHERINE   TiNGLEY. 

In  the  early  days  there  had  to  be  branches  —  we  had  not  then  our  printing 
presses  nor  our  extensive  correspondence  and  propaganda  bureaus ;  but  when 
Mrs.  Tingley  visited  the  branches  during  her  first  Theosophical  Crusade  around 
the  world  shortly  after  the  death  of  William  Q.  Judge,  she  found  that  during 
the  two  years'  illness  of  Mr.  Judge  before  his  death,  all  sorts  of  abuses  had 
crept  into  many  of  these  branches  —  often  a  man  with  a  loud  voice  and  a  domi- 
nant personality,  who  perhaps,  even  with  a  collegiate  education,  had  made  no 
success  whatever  in  his  life  in  the  outer  world,  would  force  himself  to  the  front 
—  energetic  perhaps  on  material  and  mental  lines,  but  as  to  spirituality  woe- 
fully lacking  and  wholly  unfitted  to  the  directing  of  a  local  body  of  Theosophical 
students.  Others  sought  to  make  the  branches  a  stamping  ground  for  the  airing 
of  their  own  personal  views  and  for  the  gratification  of  their  ambition  either  to 
obtain  a  position  of  power  or  to  air  their  opinions  before  the  public,  and  the 
majority  of  the  branches  then  existing  were  subject  to  these  conditions. 

Thus  it  has  been  that  there  were  many  occasions  to  discourage  the  continuation 
of  centers  and  the  formation  of  new  ones ;  for  the  spread  of  Theosophy  — 
let  it  be  clearly  said  —  depends  first  of  all  upon  the  life  and  character  of  those 
who  profess  it. 

This  action  of  Katherine  Tingley  brought  to  the  Universal  Brotherhood 
AND  Theosophical  Society  many  new  members  who  had  hitherto  held  back 
from  joining  the  local  societies,  and  in  the  first  two  years  after  Katherine  Ting- 
ley became  Leader  and  Official  Head  the  membership  of  the  Society  throughout 
the  world  was  trebled  in  numbers. 

Recently  a  lecturer  from  the  Orient  lecturing  in  San  Diego  for  Mrs.  Besant's 
society  made  a  statement  which  I  cannot  let  pass  without  protest.  He  is  reported 
to  have  declared  regarding  certain  small  pseudo-theosophical  bodies,  probably 
in  defence  of  his  own  position  and  that  of  the  society  he  represents,  that 

It  does  not  matter  what  the  name  is  so  long  as  a  person  is  proclaiming  the 
truths  of  Reincarnation  and  Karma  and  the  possibilities  of  the  spiritual  life. 
It  is  the  great  work  of  Theosophy ;  it  does  not  matter  what  organization  is 
doing  it. 

And  so  Other  persons  unthinkingly  might  say.  But  not  so  the  true  Theo- 
sophist.  It  does  matter  what  is  the  life  and  character  of  those  who  are  pro- 
claiming Theosophy.  It  does  matter  that  the  one  who  gives  out  these  truths 
shall  endeavor  to  apply  them  to  his  own  daily  life.  Let  me  ask:  Is  there  not 
too  much  already  of  cant  and  hypocrisy  in  the  world?  As  H.  P.  Blavatsky 
says :  "  Cant  is  the  most  loathsome  of  all  vices,"  and  the  enmity  and  antagonism 
that  Katherine  Tingley  has  aroused  in  certain  quarters  is  because  she  insists  that 
there  shall  be  not  only  the  profession,  but  also  the  actual  carrying  out  among 
her  students  of  the  truths  of  Theosophy  in  everyday  life. 

As  the  Theosophical  work  progressed  under  the  direction  of  Katherine  Tingley 


18  HISTORICAL  INCIDENTS  OF 

the  great  majority  of  the  members  showed  the  most  satisfactory  results  in  the 
grasping  of  the  opportunities  given,  but  the  Society  was  not  yet  entirely  free  from 
those  factors  that  are  to  be  found  in  all  societies,  and  so  from  time  to  time  an 
upstart  for  Theosophic  honors  would  appear  in  the  arena,  with  projects  quite 
adverse  to  its  real  interests,  attempting  to  use  Theosophy  to  cover  his  selfish  plans. 
In  every  case,  however,  such  people,  not  being  able  to  keep  up  with  the  procession, 
found  themselves  not  at  home  in  the  Society,  driven  out  by  the  full  force  of  the 
high  ideals  and  the  purity  of  the  Theosophic  life  which  was  demanded  of  them. 
Whenever  any  one  of  these  delinquents  found  the  opportunity  to  further  his  pet 
project  he  has  attempted  to  do  it,  and  so  the  word  "  Theosophy  "  has  been  used  as 
a  cover  for  false  teaching  and  to  mislead  the  public.  But  the  reorganization  of 
the  Theosophical  Society  and  its  enlargment  by  which  it  became  merged  into  the 
Universal  Brotherhood  and  Theosophical  Society  at  the  convention  at  Chi- 
cago in  1898,  which  action  was  taken  by  an  almost  unanimous  vote,  has  proved  to 
be  a  blessing  to  all  faithful  members  and  followers  of  the  teachings  of  H.  P.  Bla- 
vatsky,  and  has  precluded  all  future  possibility  of  the  Society's  being  rent  in  twain, 
its  libraries  separated  and  lost,  and  its  interests  afifected  by  quasi-Theosophists. 

I  have  often  heard  Mrs.  Tingley  express  sympathy  for  the  public  and  make 
many  excuses  for  their  prejudices  and  even  for  their  calumnies,  for  she  has  said 
that  Theosophy  has  too  often  been  judged  by  the  deplorable  examples  found  in 
the  lives  of  those  dehnquents. 

It  is  to  be  remembered  that  not  many  years  ago  the  public  mind  was  startled 
by  certain  maliciously  false  statements  published  in  the  yellow  journals  both  in 
America  and  Europe  against  Katherine  Tingley,  her  work  and  her  schools.  The 
prime  authors  of  these  statements  were  two  men,  whose  names  are  known,  one 
who  for  four  years  was  under  the  treatment  of  a  prominent  physician  in  New 
Orleans  (whose  affidavit  we  have  to  that  effect)  for  insanity,  and  who  boasted 
that  it  was  his  mission  in  life  to  tear  down  Katherine  Tingley  and  to  exalt  ]\Irs. 
Besant.  These  two  men  privately  circulated  a  long  account  purporting  to  be  the 
life  of  Katherine  Tingley  but  composed  of  the  greatest  calumnies  and  falsehoods 
—  the  greater  part  being  made  out  of  whole  cloth  and  part  of  distorted  truths. 
It  was  this  matter,  typewritten  —  not  printed,  for  they  dared  not  publish  it  and 
dared  not  send  it  through  the  mails  —  which  was  passed  around  surreptitiously, 
shown  to  editors  —  and  I  could  give  you  the  actual  names  of  some  editors  to 
whom  it  was  shown  and  who  refused  absolutely  to  take  any  notice  of  it.  It  was 
sent  to  ministers,  even  in  San  Diego,  and  to  members  of  Mrs.  Besant's  Society 
and  to  any  one  else  whom  they  thought  they  could  influence  against  Katherine 
Tingley  and  Point  Loma,  and  it  was  this  dastardly  false  statement  (worked  out 
by  these  two  men  referred  to)  that  was  the  basis  of  the  attacks  against  Katherine 
Tingley  made  by  the  Gerry  Society  for  the  Prevention  of  Cruelty  to  Children 
in  New  York,  when  they  detained  eleven  Cuban  children  and  one  of  our  lady 
physicians,  holding  them  on  Ellis  Island  on  the  plea  that  Point  Loma  was  no  fit 
place  for  children.  You  all  know  how  this  ended,  how  Mrs.  Tingley  demanded 
that  an  investigation  of  her  schools  at  Point  Loma  be  made  by  the  United  States 
Government,  or  she  would  have  brought  suit  against  the  Government  (as  Sargent 
well  knew),  that  Commissioner  General  Sargent  of  the  Bureau  of  Immigration 
personally  made  such  an  investigation  and  reported  favorably  to  President  Roose- 


THE  THEOSOPHICAL  MOVEMENT         '  19 

velt,  and  that  the  children  were  ordered  to  be  sent  on  here  to  Point  I^ma,  where 
they  are  at  the  present  time. 

One  may  well  ask,  Why  should  these  men  go  to  the  trouble  of  circulating  such 
a  tissue  of  falsehoods  against  Katherine  Tingley?  But  when  I  tell  you  that  she 
knew  the  Jekyll  and  Hyde  life  of  one  of  them,  which  ultimately  resulted  in  his 
arrest,  and  that  he  feared  that  some  day  she  might  lift  the  veil  and  show  his 
hypocrisy  and  immorality,  can  you  not  see  in  all  these  efforts  of  his  an  attempt 
to  bring  such  discredit  upon  her  and  her  work  that  she  would  not  be  believed? 

Some  of  these  facts  must  come  out  before  the  public,  for  they  are  entitled  to 
know  what  is  back  of  the  persecution  that  Katherine  Tingley  and  the  Point  Loma 
Institution  have  had  to  endure.  In  the  detailed  history  others  who  took  part  will 
be  named. 

We  have  been  urged  by  people  here  in  San  Diego  and  elsewhere  not  in  any 
way  identified  with  our  Society,  that  it  is  only  fair  to  the  public  that  these  state- 
ments should  be  made,  and  that  it  would  be  an  injustice  if  they  should  remain 
unspoken. 

Some  people  may  flU  say,  "  It  does  not  matter  who  teaches  Theosophy,"  but 
no  one  who  has  any  true  comprehension  of  the  meaning  of  Theosophy  will  say 
so.  For  as  Madame  Blavatsky  said :  "  You  cannot  pour  attar  of  roses  into  a 
scavenger's  bucket  and  the  perfume  retain  its  purity  and  sweetness  " ;  and  so  it 
is  that  the  pure  truths  of  Theosophy  cannot  be  given  out  pure  and  undefiled  from 
the  lips  of  one  who  is  not  honestly  endeavoring  to  make  Theosophy  a  part  of  his 
daily  life. 

Had  not  one  of  these  two  men  recently  fallen  into  the  hands  of  the  law  through 
his  crimes  he  would  in  a  short  time  have  been  brought  into  the  courts  of  New 
York  for  his  libelous  and  infamous  work  against  Katherine  Tingley.  His  coadju- 
tor is  irresponsible  and  was  but  a  tool  in  the  hands  of  the  former,  this  being 
proven  by  his  own  statement  to  Katherine  Tingley's  father,  who  at  that  time  was 
devoting  his  whole  energy  —  though  an  old  man  of  seventy-five  years  —  to  run 
down  and  expose  these  traducers,  but  in  the  midst  of  his  efforts  he  overtaxed 
his  strength  and  died. 

Calumniators  defeated  in  attempts  to  exploit  Society  for  personal 
ENDS.    Theosophy  and  work  at  Point  Loma  falsely  given 

AS    cause   of    family    TROUBLES. 

How  the  Society  has  been  used  by  those  seeking  to  exploit  it  for  personal  ends 
cannot  be  told  fully  here  tonight,  but  there  are  one  or  two  striking  points  that  I 
will  mention  and  that  serve  to  lift  the  veil  on  questions  of  the  separation  of  families 
with  which  Katherine  Tingley  has  been  so  often  charged.  Several  instances  have 
occurred  since  the  International  Headquarters  were  established  at  Point  Loma 
in  which  eflforts  have  been  made  to  use  Theosophy  and  Point  Loma  as  a  basis 
to  serve  in  divorce  proceedings  and  in  other  family  matters,  such  as  the  separation 
of  parents  and  children  and  husband  and  wife.  The  first  instance  that  I  will  refer 
to  is  that  of  a  man  who  for  several  years  previously  had  not  only  neglected  his 
wife,  but  whose  life  was  said  to  be  so  immoral  that  she  deserted  him  and  then 
secured  a  divorce,  the  courts  giving  her  the  custody  of  their  only  child,  a  daughter. 
The  mother  married  again  —  a  member  of  the  Theosophical  Society  —  and  later 


20  HISTORICAL  INCIDENTS  OF 

died.  Her  last  wish  was  that  her  daughter  might  be  placed  in  the  school  at 
Point  Loma  to  complete  her  education  and  to  have  such  protection  as  to  keep  her 
from  any  association  with  her  father,  whose  conduct  had  broken  up  the  home. 
Not  long  after  her  admission  to  the  school  the  father  appeared  in  San  Diego  and 
demanded  the  custody  of  his  daughter,  and  circulated  malicious  stories  that  Mrs. 
Tingley  was  separating  father  from  child.  He  brought  his  case  into  the  courts 
of  San  Diego,  and  papers  were  served  upon  Katherine  Tingley  that  she  was 
holding  the  child;  but  when  the  case  came  on  for  trial  this  child  herself  placed 
facts  in  the  hands  of  the  lawyers  in  regard  to  her  mother's  statements  and  her 
desire  that  she  should  not  associate  with  her  father,  with  the  result  that  the  case 
was  dismissed.  But  the  enemies,  gossips  in  San  Diego  and  elsewhere,  and  yellow 
journals  caught  up  the  father's  story,  and  the  falsehoods  given  out  by  him  have 
never  been  overtaken  by  the  truth.  It  was  learned  afterwards  that  the  father  was 
encouraged  in  making  his  attack  upon  Point  Loma  by  certain  enemies  of  Katherine 
Tingley  and  the  Theosophical  Institutions.     This  girl  is  still  at  Point  Loma. 

Another  case  that  created  a  great  stir  at  the  time  was  that  of  a  certain  man 
residing  at  Chicago  who  planned  a  visit  of  his  wife  and  children  to  Point  Loma, 
they  to  remain  there  for  three  months  while  he  went  on  a  trip  up  the  Coast  and 
possibly,  also,  to  Honolulu.  This  man  arrived  at  Point  Loma  and  even  made 
application  to  enter  his  children  in  the  school,  although  for  years  he  had  been  an 
open  and  bitter  enemy  of  Theosophy  —  his  wife  was  a  member  of  the  Universal 
Brotherhood  and  Theosophical  Society.  Mrs.  Tingley,  having  no  faith  in 
him,  refused  to  accept  the  children,  but  they  were  allowed  to  stay  with  the  mother 
as  paying  guests  for  three  months,  her  health  being  greatly  broken  down.  The 
husband  even  paid  money  in  advance  both  for  his  wife  and  children,  and  departed, 
as  he  said,  upon  his  trip.  Two  days  later  he  appeared  at  the  Point  Loma  Home- 
stead in  a  carriage  and  made  an  attempt  to  kidnap  the  two  children.  Through 
the  mother's  efforts,  however,  he  did  not  succeed,  but  later  brought  habeus  corpus 
proceedings  against  Katherine  Tingley  for  restraining  the  children,  with  which, 
of  course,  she  had  nothing  to  do,  they  being  in  the  sole  care  of  the  mother,  and 
Mrs.  Tingley  having  refused  to  admit  them  into  the  school.  A  similar  writ  of 
habeus  corpus  was  directed  by  the  husband  against  his  wife,  charging  her  also 
with  imprisoning  the  children  whom,  bear  in  mind,  he  had  voluntarily  left  in  her 
sole  custody  a  few  days  before.  Mrs.  Tingley  appeared  in  court  with  her  attorney, 
but  immediately  on  opening  the  case  it  was  dismissed  on  application  of  the  man 
himself.  A  short  time  later  he  succeeded  in  bringing  this  case  before  the  Los 
Angeles  court,  and  an  old  clause  of  the  law  was  strained  to  the  point  that  a  sheriff's 
officer  called  at  Point  Loma  and  took  the  children  away,  the  mother  following, 
although  prostrated  by  illness  at  this  time. 

Owing  to  the  fact  that  the  wife  withheld  her  most  important  evidence  against 
her  husband  on  the  advice  of  her  lawyer ;  owing  to  the  fact  that  she  had  already 
brought  suit  for  divorce  in  Chicago  and  was  intending  to  return  there  to  prosecute 
it  the  following  week ;  owing  also  to  the  fact  that  much  of  the  evidence  submitted 
by  the  plaintiff  and  witnesses  was  perjured ;  and  in  spite  of  the  fact  that  the 
custody  of  children  cannot  be  settled  in  a  habeas  corpus  proceeding,  this  being  the 
only  contention  between  the  litigants,  the  Los  Angeles  court  gave  the  father  tem- 
porary custody  of  the  children,  this  being  the  extent  of  its  judicial  power;   and 


THE  THEOSOPHICAL  MOVEMENT  21 

if  the  mother  wished  to  recover  her  children  permanently  she  must  go  to  Chicago 
to  enter  suit  there.  However,  under  the  advice  of  her  Chicago  lawyer  and  of 
her  closest  friends,  she  did  not  go,  as  she  was  reliably  informed  that  her  husband 
and  her  mother,  who  was  a  physician  and  had  been  for  years  the  principal  disturb- 
ing element  in  her  family  life,  had  planned  to  place  her  in  an  insane  asylum  — 
this,  we  understand,  is  easily  done  in  Illinois.  The  wife,  in  her  despair,  resorted 
to  the  California  courts,  seeking  a  divorce  and  the  custody  of  her  children  on  the 
ground  of  the  adultery  of  her  husband  with  her  own  mother,  who  was,  according 
to  the  wife's  statement,  a  woman  of  notoriously  cruel  and  immoral  life.  This 
woman,  named  as  co-respondent  by  the  wife,  was  also  a  bitter  enemy  of  Mrs. 
Tingley,  being  associated  with  Mrs.  Besant's  theosophical  interests,  and  had  for- 
merly entertained  some  of  Mrs.  Besant's  lecturers,  and  never  having  forgiven 
Katherine  Tingley  for  ignoring  her  application  for  a  position,  although  a  total 
stranger  to  her,  upon  her  (Mrs.  Tingley's)  medical  staff  at  the  time  of  the  latter 's 
first  Crusade  to  Cuba  when  President  McKinley  so  liberally  aided  and  endorsed 
her  work,  giving  free  transportation  on  the  U.  S.  Transport  Berlin  to  Katherine 
Tingley  and  her  band  of  physicians  and  nurses  and  supplies  of  food,  medicine 
and  clothing. 

Unfortunately  for  the  wife,  the  California  courts  could  not  hear  her  case  until 
she  had  been  a  resident  of  the  State  for  one  year,  and  the  case  was  further  delayed 
by  a  clerical  error  in  the  first  bill  filed  which,  although  a  mere  technicality,  neces- 
sitated re-filing  and  an  additional  three-months'  delay.  In  the  meantime  the  father 
brought  suit  in  the  Illinois  courts  and  gained  possession  of  the  children  because 
the  wife  was  not  present  to  oppose.  Now  it  will  be  of  interest  to  you  to  know 
that  according  to  the  wife's  own  statements  it  was  Katherine  Tingley's  advice 
alone  that  had  sustained  her  in  living  the  last  three  years  with  this  man  who, 
so  the  wife  says,  had  abused  all  rights  as  a  husband. 

The  wife  had  applied  to  Katherine  Tingley  three  years  previously,  saying  that 
she  could  stand  her  life  no  longer  because  of  the  unnatural  and  pernicious  influence 
her  mother  had  for  some  years  exercised  over  the  husband,  to  the  extent,  in  fact, 
that  the  real  home  life  had  seemingly  been  hopelessly  destroyed.  She  told  Kather- 
ine Tingley  that  she  had  determined  to  sue  for  a  divorce,  but  Katherine  Tingley 
urged  her  not  to  give  up  trying  but  to  make  still  another  effort.  This  man,  who 
is  a  business  man  in  Chicago,  while  he  has  taken  the  children  from  their  heart- 
broken mother's  arms  temporarily,  has  not  succeded  in  effacing  from  the  public 
mind  the  charges  which  his  wife  brought  out  against  him  to  establish  her  case, 
so  that  even  to  this  day  he  is  very  bitter  and  is  still  found  working  behind  the 
scenes  wherever  possible  to  injure  Katherine  Tingley  and  the  good  name  of 
Theosophy.  His  calumnies  are  mostly  in  interviews,  and  in  his  correspondence  he 
rehashes  the  rotten  matter  before  referred  to  which  was  circulated  by  the  two 
men  above  mentioned.  He  asserts  that  he  has  proof,  but  when  an  attempt  is  made 
to  get  him  to  give  proof,  when  he  is  forced  into  a  corner,  he  clears  himself  by 
saying  to  those  who  demand  proofs  that  he  has  none,  but  only  that  his  statements 
are  based  on  newspaper  stories. 

Other  attempts  have  been  made  by  men  who  have  tried  to  get  rid  of  their  wives 
to  involve  Theosophy,  and  they  have  named  Theosophy  and  the  work  at  Point 
Loma  as  a  cause  to  cover  their  own  mistakes  and  gain  sympathy  from  a  misin- 


22  HISTORICAL  INCIDENTS  OF 

formed  public.  In  every  case,  however,  they  have  been  defeated,  though  another 
Hnk  in  the  slander  is  added.  Yet  these  calumniators  are  still  our  brothers,  and 
though  blind  and  weak,  are  not  left  out  of  the  Theosophic  scheme  of  salvation. 
If  we  do  our  duty  by  them  now,  not  consenting  to  nor  condoning  their  misdeeds, 
in  another  incarnation,  if  not  in  this,  they  will  have  another  chance  to  atone. 

We  feel  that  all  lovers  of  truth  and  justice  will  be  glad  these  statements  have 
been  made,  which  barely  touch  on  the  surface  of  many  of  the  misrepresentations 
which  Theosophy  has  had  to  suffer. 

At  some  other  time  I  hope  to  give  further  historical  matter  which  will  chronicle 
pleasanter  incidents  in  the  history  of  the  Theosophical  Movement. 

CONCLUSION 

Work  at  Point  Loma.     School  of  Antiquity.     Great  Library. 
Katharine;  Tingley  the  Teacher. 

It  would  be  impossible  to  give  here  a  detailed  account  of  the  growth  and 
development  of  the  many  activities  at  Point  Loma,  yet  even  a  brief  sketch  such 
as  this  would  be  incomplete  without  some  reference  to  them. 

First  then,  at  Point  Loma  are  located  the  International  Headquarters  of  the 
Universal  Brotherhood  and  Theosophical  Society  which,  as  will  already  have 
been  seen  from  the  above,  is  the  direct  continuation,  de  jure  and  de  facto,  of  the 
original  Theosophical  Society  founded  by  Madame  Blavatsky  in  New  York  in  1875. 
From  this  world-center  and  International  Headquarters  the  work  of  this  vast 
Organization  is  carried  on  in  all  parts  of  the  world. 

It  has  already  been  stated  that  the  membership  of  the  Society  was  trebled  in 
the  first  two  years  of  Katherine  Tingley's  leadership,  and  it  may  further  be  said 
that  the  work  has  increased  at  least  five-fold  during  the  past  year.  The  propa- 
ganda and  correspondence  bureaus  are  taxed  to  their  limit,  while  the  Aryan 
Theosophical  Press,  founded  by  William  Q.  Judge  in  1888  in  New  York,  and  now 
established  at  Point  Loma,  even  with  all  the  increased  facilities  of  new  printing 
presses,  linotype  machinery,  book-bindery,  and  photo-engraving  department,  is 
already  inadequate  to  supply  the  demand  for  literature  from  all  over  the  world. 

One  of  the  most  interesting  phases  of  life  at  Point  Loma  is  the  student  life. 
In  1897  Katherine  Tingley  founded  the  School  of  Antiquity,  the  aims  of  which 
are  as  follows : 

Although  American  in  center,  this  school  is  international  in  character,  a  Temple 
of  Living  Light,  lighting  up  the  dark  places  of  the  earth.  Through  this  school 
and  its  branches  the  children  of  the  race  will  be  taught  the  laws  of  physical  life, 
and  physical,  moral,  and  mental  health  and  spiritual  unfoldment.  They  will 
learn  to  live  in  harmony  with  nature  —  they  will  become  true  lovers  of  all  that 
breathes,  they  will  grow  strong  in  an  understanding  of  themselves,  and  as  they 
gain  strength  they  will  learn  to  use  it  for  the  good  of  the  whole  world. 

Connected  with  the  School  of  Antiquity  is  the  School  of  Antiquity  Library 
in  which  are  many  rare  and  valuable  books.  The  original  nucleus  of  this  was  the 
gift  of  his  fine  collection  of  books  by  Rev.  S.  J.  Neill,  many  years  ago,  since  which 
time  the  library  has  grown  enormously  so  that  there  are  now  several  thousand 
volumes.     These  are  at  present  temporarily  housed  awaiting  the  erection  of  the 


THE  THEOSOPHICAL  MCV£:MENT'  :  /  •  -.    '-.■_[:,        23 

School  of  Antiquity  Temple  which  is  to  be  their  permanent  home  —  the  corner- 
stone of  which  is  already  laid.  In  addition  to  the  above  there  are  also  at  Point 
Loma  the  Aryan  Theosophical  Library  and  the  International  Headquarters 
Library. 

Already  the  School  of  xA.ntiquity  numbers  among  its  students  —  and  all  are 
students  at  Point  Loma,  gratefully  ackowledging  Katherine  Tingley  as  their 
Teacher  —  men  and  women  from  all  walks  in  life  and  every  profession:  musi- 
cians, artists,  writers,  physicians,  lawyers,  engineers,  business  men,  craftsmen, 
and  artisans.  Fortunate  indeed  are  these  students,  for  they  have  the  privilege  of 
receiving  from  their  Teacher,  Katherine  Tingley,  the  priceless  instructions  of 
Theosophy,  the  Wisdom-Religion. 

Those  who  are  closest  to  Katherine  Tingley  assert,  and  do  so  from  actual 
experience  of  the  results,  that  she  has  access  to  the  same  source  of  wisdom  as 
had  her  illustrious  predecessors,  H.  P.  Blavatsky  and  William  Q.  Judge.  There 
were  many  teachings  which  H.  P.  Blavatsky  gave  to  no  one  but  her  faithful 
colleague  and  successor,  William  Q.  Judge,  and  others  which  he  also  received 
direct  from  Madame  Blavatsky's  Teacher.  All  of  these  were  in  turn  handed  to 
his  successor  Katherine  Tingley.  These  together  with  the  great  knowledge  which 
she  herself  has,  form  the  basis  of  the  deeper  instructions  given  to  the  faithful 
students  at  Point  Loma,  as  and  when  they  become  worthy  and  qualified  to  receive 
the  same. 

And  this  instruction  is  not  some  far-off  mystical  teaching  but  that  which  can 
be  applied  here  and  now.  It  is  not  any  strange  dabbling  in  weird  phenomena,  not 
any  attempt  to  develop  abnormal  psychic  powers,  clairvoyance,  the  seeing  of  astral 
colors  or  the  hearing  of  astral  sounds  —  these  have  nothing  whatever  to  do  with 
the  spiritual  life,  the  inner  divine  life  of  man,  but  are  dangerous  hindrances,  not 
aids.  But  the  teaching  given  by  Katherine  Tingley  to  her  students  is  practical, 
applicable  to  our  everyday  life.  It  calls  for  the  purification  of  one's  nature,  self- 
control,  self -conquest;  it  is  a  benediction  upon  the  home,  and  an  uplifting  power 
in  the  life  of  every  man  and  woman  who  will  follow  it,  giving  a  better  understand- 
ing of  life  and  its  sacred  opportunities. 

Point  Loma  is  destined  to  be  and  has  in  part  already  become  a  great  seat  of 
learning  where  are  being  studied  these  deeper  and  inner  teachings  of  the  great 
science  of  life,  Theosophy,  and  its  students  are  engaged  in  many  lines  of  deeper 
research  that  have  a  profound  significance  in  regard  to  the  future  welfare  of 
'humanity,  the  results  of  which  will  in  due  time  be  made  known  to  the  world. 


APPENDIX 

For  the  information  of  those  not  acquainted  with  the  facts,  the  following 
statement  is  made  (See  Pamphlet  "  Katherine  Tingley,  Humanity's  Friend," 
page  17) : 

In  October,  1901,  an  article  was  published  in  the  Los  Angeles  Times  by  the 
Times-Mirror  Company,  of  which  Gen.  Harrison  Gray  Otis  is  president,  being 
also  Editor  of  the  paper,  in  which  outrageous  false  statements  were  made  against 
Katherine  Tingley  and  the  Point  Loma  Institution.  In  consequence  of  this, 
Katherine  Tingley  brought  a  libel  suit  against  the  Times-Mirror  Company  and 


24  HISTORICAL  INCIDENTS  OF 

Gen.  Otis.  This  libel  suit  was  tried  before  Judge  Torrance  of  the  Superior  Court 
in  San  Diego,  December  1902,  and  January  1903,  being  concluded  January  13, 
1903,  when  the  jury  rendered  a  verdict  in  favor  of  the  plaintiff  Katherine  Tingley, 
completely  vindicating  her  and  the  Point  Loma  Institution,  and  awarding  her 
heavy  damages. 

It  may  interest  readers  to  know  that  Ge;n.  Harrison  Gray  Otis  was  at  the 
TIME  Vice-President  of  the  Associated  Press! 

In  his  charge  to  the  jury  Judge  Torrance  said  again  and  again  to  statement 
after  statement  which  had  been  made  by  the  defendant  Otis  and  to  charges 
alleged  by  him: 

"  I  declare  to  you  as  a  matter  of  law  that  there  is  no  legal  proof  of  the  truth 
of  that  charge,  and  therefore  you  must  regard  it  as  false." 

Note  these  words: 

"  /  declare  to  you  as  a  matter  of  lazv  that  there  is  no  legal  proof  of  the  truth 
of  that  charge,  and  therefore  you  must  regard  it  as  false.'' 

He  further  said  to  the  jury :  "  I  deem  it  of  great  importance  that  you  should 
clearly  apprehend  the  real  issues  in  this  case.  ...  So  far  as  they  pertain  to  the 
exclusive  province  of  the  Court  they  are  these,  and  the  Court  thus  decides  them : 

"  First. —  The  publication  in  the  Los  Angeles  Daily  Times  complained  of  in 
this  action  was  capable  of  the  interpretation  placed  upon  it  by  the  complaint. 

"Second. —  So  far  as  defendant  has  not  denied  by  its  answer  (not  by  the 
words  of  its  counsel)  the  meanings  attributed  to  this  publication  by  the  complaint 
the  article  must  have  been  regarded  to  have  been  published,  and  to  have  been 
understood  by  those  who  read  it,  in  the  sense  imputed  by  the  complaint. 

"  Third. —  The  publication,  in  all  respects  in  which  it  is  construed  by  the 
complaint,  is  in  law  libelous." 

As  said  above,  the  jury  returned  a  verdict  for  the  plaintiff  with  heavy  damages, 
and  the  Superior  Court  Decision  was  upheld  by  the  State  Supreme  Court. 


MRS.  TINGLEY  WINS  SUIT 

CALIFORNIA   SUPREME  COURT   SUSTAINS  JUDGMENT  OF  $7500  AGAINST   "  LOS   ANGELES   TIMES  " 

Point  Loma,  Cal.,  April  3  (Special) — Katherine  Tingley  has  won  her  libel 
suit  against  the  Times-Mirror  Company,  publishers  of  the  Los  Angeles  Times, 
Harrison  Gray  Otis,  editor.  The  decision  of  the  San  Diego  Superior  Court  is 
upheld  and  judgment  for  $7500  is  affirmed  by  the  State  Supreme  Court.  Four 
years  ago  Mrs.  Tingley  brought  suit  for  libel  against  the  Times  and  won  her  case 
in  the  Superior  Court  of  San  Diego  County.  Mr.  Otis  appealed  to  the  Supreme 
Court  for  a  new  trial.  The  case  has  been  pending  for  the  past  three  years.  The 
Supreme  Court  has  given  Mrs.  Tingley  a  final  victory  by  affirming  the  decision 
of  the  lower  court  notwithstanding  eight  hundred  or  more  objections  entered  by 
the  attorneys  for  Mr.  Otis.  —  Boston  Transcript,  April  3,  1907 


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